


Blizzards Make Bedfellows

by IBoatedHere



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M, Pre-Relationship, Sharing a Bed, cuddling for warmth, winter weather
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-16 01:19:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9267359
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IBoatedHere/pseuds/IBoatedHere
Summary: The power goes out for good around eight thirty.





	

The power goes out for good around eight thirty.

It had been blinking off and on for hours and finally the weight of the snow on the tree limbs became too much.

“My pie!” Bitty cries. “It still has twenty minutes left.”

“I needed to print something!” Holster bellows from the attic.

Ransom sighs heavily from the couch. “Guys, my phone is down to 20%, what the fuck am I going to do?”

Nursey catches his shoulder on the wall as he tries to walk into the kitchen.

“Okay,” Jack says, calm as ever, as he turns on the flashlight on his phone and places it in the middle of the kitchen table. “Bittle, leave the oven door closed. The pie will keep cooking for a little while. Holster’s just going to have to print in the morning. Ransom, there’s a portable charger on my desk upstairs. Go grab it. Nursey, you’re staying here tonight. There’s an extra blanket in the hall closet.” He kneels down and opens the cabinet under the sink and pulls out a bucket of candles and flashlights. “Bittle, there are matches in the junk drawer. Everyone grab what they need.”

“Why don’t we have a generator,” Bitty complains as he grabs a Pina Colada scented candle that is definitely going to give him a headache.

The rest of the guys laugh.

“Bitty,” Shitty says as he shines a flashlight under his chin. “If we tried to hook up a generator I’m pretty sure the whole Haus would burst into flames.”

“We get a little nervous each time you run the oven and the washing machine at the same time, if I’m being honest.” Ransom gathers a two flashlights and a candle into his arms so he can bring them upstairs.

“Each time Dex sets a foot in this place I swear I see smoke coming out of his ears,” Nursey adds.

“Oh dear, I had no idea we were living in such a powder keg. Maybe it’s good that the power is off.”

Jack stands and strikes a match so he can light the candle Bitty is holding.

“The Haus is fine, Bittle, but maybe only run one appliance at a time until we can get Dex in here to look at the wiring.”

“Well boys,” Shitty declares as he swings the light around the room. “No TV, no internet. There’s only one thing we can do to pass the time.” He opens the fridge and points to the cans of beer. “We’re gonna get wicked wasted.”

“We should really keep the door closed to keep the cold air in,” Jack points out and Shitty rolls his eyes as he starts passing the beer around.

“Bro, it’s twenty fucking degrees outside. We’ll put shit on the porch.”

“I’m putting my butter out there right now.”

Shitty pops the top on one of the cans and holds it out for him to take a sip. “Drink first then save the butter. So what’ll it be? Truth or dare, seven minutes in heaven, spin the bottle?”

“You don’t have a bottle,” Jack says.

“Spin the can. What the fuck ever.” He swings one arm around Jack’s shoulders and narrowly avoids spilling his beer. “Captain’s choice.”

“I have to finish a paper so you guys have fun.”

“Don’t be a buzzkill, man.”

“My laptop is charged and it’s due tomorrow.”

“Bruh, there’s not going to be class tomorrow. We’re going to be snowed in for like, a week.”

“What?” Bitty squeaks.

“Don’t worry, Bits. We’ve got plenty of beer in the fridge downstairs and you’re saving the butter. C’mon, Jack, play with us.”

“Make sure you blow the candles out before you go to bed.”

Jack ascends the stairs to a chorus of boos and Shitty smacks his hand on the table to get everyone’s attention.

“Gather ‘round, gentlemen. Get ready to tell the truth or be dared.”

******

After five rounds of Truth of Dare and too many cans of beer Bitty blows out the candle, makes sure Nursey is comfortable on the couch, and follows the rest of the boys up the stairs.

His room is freezing.

The heat has been off for hours and knowing what he knows now about the state of the Haus he’s sure the insulation in the walls is terrible.

Bitty puts on every sweatshirt he owns and two pairs of socks and grabs the extra blanket from the bin under his bed and throws that on top of his comforter. He curls up in a ball with his knees up to his chest and his hands tucked under his chin and tries to will himself to stop shivering and fall asleep.

He lies there for thirty minutes with chattering teeth before he decides he’s had enough. He pulls himself out of bed and tip toes across the hall.

There’s light coming in from beneath Jack’s door so he knocks once then opens it.

“Jack, are you still up?”

Jack spins around in his desk chair. He’s still working on his paper and his laptop screen is the only light in the room. “Bittle?”

“Do you have any extra blankets? My room is freezing.”

“I don’t think so. You can take one of my sweatshirts if you want to. Or you can have my comforter.”

“I can’t take your comforter back to my room. I’m not going to leave you here to freeze.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“I know you’re Canadian and everything but that doesn’t mean you don’t get cold.”

“Then just get in then.”

“Excuse me.”

Jack highlights an entire paragraph and deletes it. “Get in bed. Throw your blankets on top of you.”

“Get into _your_ bed?”

“Yeah.”

Bitty doesn’t move and Jack taps the space bar a few times.

“You want _me_ to get into _your_ bed?”

Jack sighs and turns around again. “You said you were cold, right?”

Bitty’s teeth chatter in response.

“I have to finish this paper before my battery dies so I really don’t have time to convince you. Just get in.”

He flips back the covers and Bitty hesitates for a moment before he’s sliding beneath the sheets and throwing his blankets over him.

He sighs and pushes his face into Jack’s pillow. He doesn’t think he’s ever been this warm before.

His eyes shut and he falls asleep to the sound of Jack’s fingers against the keyboard.

******

“I can’t believe you’re still up.”

Jack snorts. “You’ve only been out for fifteen minutes, Bittle.”

“Oh.” Bitty pushes himself up, just a little because he’s not willing to let any cold air in. “How long have you been working on that paper?”

“A few hours.”

“You’re going to strain your eyes.”

Jack hums, saves the document then turns off his laptop. The room is plunged into complete darkness when he shuts the lid.

“I was down to 5% battery anyways and I really don’t want to wake up with a headache.”

He stands up and pulls the sweat shirt he’s wearing over his head.

“I don’t want to be get too warm,” he explains as he tugs back the corner of the blankets so he can climb in.

“I can go back to my room.”

“You’ll be cold.”

“Yeah but…I don’t want to invade your space.”

“I was the one that told you to get in my bed.”

Bitty squeezes his eyes shut. He can’t believe he’s hearing this. That this is his life.

The bed dips as Jack gets in and tries to settle.

Bitty keeps his eyes closed until one of Jack’s feet touches Bitty’s shin.

“Jack, your feet are freezing,” he whispers.

Instead of apologizing and promising to stick to his own side he gets up and grabs a pair of socks from his dresser.

“That should be better,” he says as he gets back into bed. “Sorry.”

“Are you sure you don’t want me to go back to my room?”

“If you weren’t here Shitty would be and he usually doesn’t wear clothes. He might actually still come in here. Nothing bothers him.”

“Oh. Okay.” He stares at the back of Jack’s neck in the dark. “I just wasn’t sure-.”

“Bittle, go to sleep.”

*****

Bitty wakes up sometime later.

The power is still off and it’s still dark out. It’s stopped snow and the clouds have parted letting the moonlight filter in through Jack’s window.

Jack has rolled over in his sleep. He’s still on his side of the bed but his hand has stretched out and is encroaching on Bitty’s territory.

Bitty feels brave in the darkness and scoots his own hand closer until there’s a fraction of an inch separating them.

His skin tingles to close the distance.

Jack probably wouldn’t even wake up. He’d never know. It would just be this thing that happened that Bitty could look back on fondly. His one second of bravery, of acting on his feelings, that he’d remember forever.

It’s Jack who moves.

His eyebrows furrow and then his hand twitches just enough to overlap their fingers and Bitty yanks his hand back against his chest and hopes that the sudden movement doesn’t wake Jack.

He takes a deep breath as Jack continues to sleep, as calm and as peaceful as anything.

Bitty’s heart hammers in his chest, amazed how Jack can have such an impact on him without even trying, without even knowing.

Jack doesn’t move again but Bitty still pushes himself back against the wall. It’s cold against his back, even through the mountain of blankets, but in front of him Jack is throwing off more than enough heat to offset it.

*****

It’s the sound of power humming through the Haus and the feel of Jack’s breath on his neck that wakes him up for good.

The light is on in the bathroom and Jack is pressed right against him. Jack’s hair is tickling his chin and one of his thighs is jammed between Bitty’s knees. The radiator is rattling in the corner. It has a ways to go before the room is properly heated but with the blankets piled on the bed and Jack’s body so close to his Bitty feels like he’s going to melt.

He tries to work his way free but Jack wakes up before he can get very far and Bitty sinks back down into the sheets, defeated.

“The power’s back on,” Bitty whispers.

Jack makes a low whining sound in the back of this throat as he shifts far enough away to look Bitty in the eyes.

His thigh is still between Bitty’s knees.

“What time is is?”

“Don’t know,” Bitty answers. “I left my phone in my room. I bet it’s dead by now. It’s probably early. I don’t hear anyone else so they’re probably still asleep.”

Jack hums into his pillow. Bitty’s pillow. He’s pretty sure they’re sharing one at the moment and Jack’s either too sleepy or too comfortable to mind.

It’s a good look on him and Bitty slowly lets his body relax back into the warmth. It’s not too much anymore, it feels good on his muscles and skin and he presses his knee a little more firmly into Jack’s thigh.

“I should probably go back to my room,” Bitty says and Jack’s eyebrows knit together.

“Just stay if you want to.”

“Yeah, Bits, stay. If you get up you’re going to let all the cold air in.”

Jack’s eyes fly open. “Shitty?”

A arm sticks up from behind Jack’s back. “Bro, who the fuck else would this be?”

“How naked is he?” Bitty whispers.

Jack inches closer to Bitty. “Very naked.”

“So, brahs, this is what happened. It’s the middle of the night and it’s fucking freezing in my room so I come over here totally ready to cuddle for warmth because that’s what you do in this kind of situation and I’ve got my candle to light my way like I’m a fucking pioneer woman and just as I’m about to get into bed I see a head full of blond hair and I stop dead. Almost drop the candle. Almost burn the whole Haus down. At first I was ticked off because like get your own Canadian to snuggle, right? Then I calmed down because the more the merrier so I just climbed right in. Slept like a baby. How ‘bout you guys?”

“If you were cold why are you naked now?”

“Because you two are like furnaces. Jesus, how the fuck have you not overheated by now?”

“Go back to your room, Shits?”

“You just told Bitty to stay. You’re kicking me out by not him?”

“Let him stay, Jack.”

Jack sighs and Shitty reaches a hand over his side to fist bump Bitty.

“There ya go, Bits. I’m going to start climbing into bed with you.”

“I can’t believe you’d ditch me like that, Shits.”

“Nah, man, I couldn’t. Sorry, Bitty.”

“I’m sure I’ll survive.”

“I dunno, Bits, I’m a pretty good at this. Jack, tell him.”

Jack rolls his eyes and Bitty laughs. “Shitty, you can stay if you shut up and let us sleep for ten more minutes.”

“Sure thing, Cap. Although, I gotta say, I’m a little hung over so if I’m not awake feel free to crawl right over me.”

“We’re not going to be doing that.”

“Suit yourself.”

Shitty rolls over and drags some of the blanket with him so Bitty gives up some of his own.

“Only ten more minutes?” He asks Jack.

“Ten, fifteen. Stay for as long as you want, Bittle.”

Jack’s arm brushes up against his.

Bitty shuts his eyes and feels brave enough not to move it away.


End file.
